Variable weight and height adustable therapeutic cane

ABSTRACT

The abstract of the disclosure of this new and improved variable weighted and adjustable therapeutic cane is to provide an improved method to allow elderly and/or disabled people to administer self-rehabilitation through the use of a variable weighted cane that will restore muscles strength with each and every step taken. The new and improved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane will also assist and elderly person to identify space due to the initial weight and color of the therapeutic cane.  
     Standard canes that are presently available on the market which are commonly constructed from material such as aluminum, plastic or wood weight under a pound and therefore offer no restorative therapy to atrophied muscles. The new and improved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane will assist in rebuilding muscles with each step. The new and improved variable weight and height adjustable cane is height adjustable from thirty-four and one-half inches to thirty-seven and one-half inches to accommodate carious height sized people. The new and improved variable weight and height adjustable therapeutic cane weighs two and one-half pounds without the added weights and when the one pounds weights are added to the inside of the tubular steel leg, increasing the weight of the cane in one pound increments, up to two pounds, the therapeutic cane will weigh four and one-half pounds.

SPECIFICATION

[0001] A new and improved variable weight and height adjustabletherapeutic cane for aiding the elderly and/or disabled persons inrebuilding atrophied muscles on one side of their body to enable them toreturn to full independent ambulation status consists of a heightadjustable two sectioned cane with standard rubberized tip to preventslippage, that will afford the end user or medical professional to addto the interior of the tubular steel one or two one pound weights thatare solid steel rods to provide added weight to the cane to provide forindividual strength building as the cane is used for walking across thefloor. The new and improved variable weight and height adjustabletherapeutic cane weighs two and one-half pounds before any weights areadded to the interior of the lower steel tubular steel shaft. With theaddition of added weight to the new and improved weight and heightadjustable therapeutic cane, the device will weigh up to four andone-half pounds, allowing for the variability of two and one-half poundsto four and one-half pounds as needed by the elderly and/or disabledperson that will be determined by the medical professional. A normalwooden or aluminum cane, presently on the market, weighs about fourteenounces, which does not presently offer any therapeutic muscle rebuildingqualities.

[0002] The top of the cane is shaped in a curved ergonomically shape toassist in offering balance to the person utilizing the cane, making thecane easy to handle and easy for the elderly and/or disabled person toutilize during the self-rehabilitation process. The handle is coveredwith a closed cell foam cover that gives the cane the intended securefeeling as the person grips the cane. The cane is height adjustableusing an interior steel spring with attached buttons that correspond topre-drilled holes in both the upper cane member and the lower canetherapeutic cane. The telescoping leg member allows for adjustments inheights to meet the height variances of the elderly and/or disabledperson utilizing the variable weighted and height adjustable therapeuticcane.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] References cited: 5,056,545 Oct., 1991 Spaeth 135/66 5,238,013Aug., 1993 Battiston 135/75 5,392,801 Feb., 1995 Hannoosh 135/655,692,533 Dec., 1997 Meltzer 135/65 5,775,352 Jul., 1998 Obitts 135/695,865,204 Feb., 1999 Bracy 135/82

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The U.S. patent Classification Definition for this patentapplication is 135/65. The present invention relates to a new andimproved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane forproviding elderly and/or disabled persons with a new type of cane thatwill afford the elderly and/or disabled person the ability to provideself rehabilitation to atrophied muscles as they walk.

[0005] Two years ago Health Care Financial Administration (HCFA) setrestricted financial assets to be spent on Medicare recipients requiringphysical, occupational and speech therapy as part of the measures takento cut the costs of Medicare expenditures. As a result of the Medicarecutbacks, called the Prospective Payment System, the Medicare recipientsare no longer receiving the physical therapy care they require for theircare and recovery so the need for more individualizedself-rehabilitation therapy products are required to meet these needs.The new and improved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeuticcane will offer to elderly and/or disabled persons theself-rehabilitation device to assist them in returning to functionalupright/walking mobility and rebuild atrophied muscles and allow themalso to identify their space in relation to their body and their world.

[0006] The new and improved variable weighted and height adjustabletherapeutic cane will enhance the use of the cane for elderly and/ordisabled people. Once an elderly person has had a mild stroke that hasnot eliminated self-ambulation from their physical abilities, but hascaused weakness to occur on one side of their bodies, the elderly and/ordisabled person needs to rebuild that lost muscle strength. Prior toHCFA reductions in Medicare reimbursements, the elderly and/or disabledperson was placed into physical therapy for muscle strengthening, andthe person was placed in medically prescribed weight training. Since theonset of the Prospective Payment System, the amount of reimbursement tobe paid by Medicare for physical therapy has decreased substantially andthe Medicare recipient no longer is able to receive the benefits of thistherapy.

[0007] The new and improved variable weighted and height adjustabletherapeutic cane solves the problem of weight rebuilding throughwalking. Before the variable weighted and height adjustable cane wasdesigned, standard light weight canes could not offer any weightbuilding capability. Prior to the new and improved variable weighted andheight adjustable therapeutic cane the standard cane that have beenavailable for the elderly and/or disabled people have been non-weighted,in fact they all weigh under one pound. For an elderly and/or disabledperson who displays weakness to one side of their body, a one pound caneis not going to offer them any muscle build-up or any rehabilitation forthe weaker muscles. The more weight that is picked up by the body at onetime, over a period of time, the more the body will react by rebuildingmuscles to meet that weight and tolerate the added weight. By doing so,the added weight is providing built in weight training as an elderlyand/or disabled person walks around with the added weights on a devicesuch as a variable weighted cane. When the elderly and/or disabledperson begins self-therapy using the new and improved variable weightedand height adjustable therapeutic cane, say right after a mild stroke,the elderly and/or disabled person should start with the therapeuticcane with the lowest amount of weight of the cane. This would be aweight of two and one-half pounds. After walking and practicingself-rehabilitation for a period of time, the elderly and/or disabledperson will then have another weight added to make the therapeutic canethree and one-half pounds. This exercise will continue until thetherapeutic cane weighs four and one-half pounds. With the added weightsthe elderly and/or disabled person should receive the desired results ofrebuilding muscles and be able to ambulate more proficiently, thusretarding further decline in body strength from occurring.

[0008] The new and improved variable weighted and height adjustabletherapeutic cane will offer a sense of space to the elderly and/ordisabled person. Spatial perception is an ongoing loss for the elderlyand their sense of where they are located in space in relation to theirbody space becomes somewhat distorted as part of the normal agingprocess, more commonly known as part of proprioceptor reflex deficiency.The new and improved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeuticcane will offer the elderly and/or disabled people a sense of space dueto the weight of the cane, when in use. Once and elderly and/or disabledperson picks up the cane, with weights added or not, the initial two andone-half pounds the cane weighs, and places the cane down to walk nextto it, the elderly and/or disabled person will know where they are inrelation to the cane because of the weight and density of the cane.

[0009] There have been canes used for walking assistance by mankindprobably since the beginning of time. Anytime mankind felt weak when hewas upright and walking, he would bend down and pickup a large stick anduse the stick as a walking aid. Children are given or are asked to maketheir own walking sticks when they are going to go on extended hikes inthe woods, usually in Girl Scout or Boy Scout organizations. Canes andwalking sticks have been used for centuries as a common aid to assistwith walking and balance. But until now, canes were not purposelyweighted and were not offered with the options of having them weightedand variable weighted for rehabilitation purposes, addressing the needto rebuild atrophied muscles by use of a simple cane device.

[0010] References to previous teachings on the developments of caneswill now be discussed.

[0011] In Spaeth's teaching of his safety walking cane, he citesadditional features placed on a standard walking cane such as safetywheels mounted adjacent to a lower terminal end, a light reflector, anda water supply reservoir being placed on the shaft of the safety cane.Other options to be placed on the shaft are a mirror, a horn member, andalso an audible play-back device to alert others as to the positioningof the shaft in use. The present invention, of a new and improvedvariable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane, do not havethese features.

[0012] In Battison, he teaches that the walking aid cane comprising abase plate: an upright support including a lower and extending throughsaid base plate and connected to said base plate at the position ofextension of said lower end through said base plate, and an upper endhaving handle means for permitting the user to grasp said cane; aplurality of legs means for supporting said cane in a surface. Battisonteaches us that his cane has more than one leg base of support and has abase plate that is rectangular in configuration. He does include in histhird claim to have the telescoping leg means that includes an outertelescoping member and an inner telescoping member slidably andtelescopically received within the said outer telescoping member foradjusting the height of said walking cane and securement means forsecuring said outer and inner telescoping members in a fixed axialrelation with respect to each other. The present invention, of a new andimproved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane doesnot have variable legs means but does have the features of telescopingmembers to allow for adjustability of various heights.

[0013] In Hannoosh teachings of his self-righting walking cane, heclaims his cane is a self-righting walking cane. The device has a centerof gravity and a center of rotation, wherein said center of gravity isbelow the center of rotation. The cane consists of an elongated devicelightweight shaft device having an upper end and a bottom end, a handledevice attached to the upper end and a bottom end, with the handledevice attached to the upper end of the shaft device. His cane alsocomprises of weighted base device attached to the bottom of the shaftdevice, with the said base device having a flat bottom portion. His canealso has a curved device comprising a plurality of frame devices eachhaving an upper horizontal top section attached to a lower portion ofthe shaft device, and a downwardly and inwardly curved section attachedto the weighted base device and a flat bottom end section attached tothe flat bottom section of the weighted base device. The presentinvention, of a new and improved variable weighted and height adjustabletherapeutic cane does not have a self-righting device attached. Hisdevice does have a weighted bottom, but his weighted bottom is notvariable in being able to add or detract weights from the inside of theshaft on his cane. His cane does not offer variable weights.

[0014] In Meltzer's walking cane including function enhancing elements,including a substantially vertical elongated support member having anupper end and a longitudinal axis thereof, a handle means,complementarily positioned about said support member's upper end, forselectable radial rotation relative to said longitudinal axis of saidsupport member; a plurality of forward and rearward downwardlyintegrally dependent legs rigidly extending from said support member'slower end, said legs each having a body portion and a foot portionthereof, a wheel means rotatably secured to each of said foot portionsof said forward legs and a friction-enhancing tips integrally associatedwith each of said foot portions of said readward legs. The presentinvention, of a new and improved variable weighted and height adjustabletherapeutic cane only contains a central leg, does not have a wheel onthe lower end of one leg, but does have a friction-enhancing tip on theend of the one leg to retard slippage while the end user walks with thecane. The present invention calls for weights that can be added and isheight adjustable.

[0015] In Obitts cam locked assembly for an adjustable cane, whichcomprises of a first member having a plurality of spaced apertures andan opening; a second member adapted for telescoping relation with thefirst member; a handle located at an end of one of the first member andsecond member; a snap button assembly at least partially housed insideof the second member and having a button on a first end extendingradially outward through one of the apertures in the first member' a camlocking assembly located adjacent the opening including a housingreceiving a can member with a raised surface, aand a cam leveroperatively associated with the cam member for selectively engaging theraised surface with the second member through the opening of the firstmember. The new and improved variable weighted and height adjustabletherapeutic cane is height adjustable utilizing the same mechanicalmeans, but Obitts does not teach us that his adjustable cane can offerthe opportunity to become weight adjustable, by offering the opportunityto include one pound weights to the inside of his cane, thereby makinghis cane therapeutic in nature.

[0016] In Bracy, in which he offers the teaching of a walking caneassembly having a pivoting safety tip which comprises of a shaft memberhaving a long axis and upper and lower ends, a tip member having asocket portion in which said lower end of said shaft member is receivedand base portion for resting on an underlying support surface and a diskmember interconnecting said shaft member and said tip member, said diskmember having; a center portion which is mounted to said lower end ofsaid shaft member so as to permit said disk member to rotate freelyabout said long axis of said shaft ember, so that said base portion ofsaid tip member remains in a stationary engagement with said underlyingsupport surface as said shaft member of said cane is twisted back andforth; and an outer edge portion which is in sliding engagement with aninterior surface of said socket portion of said tip member so as topermit said disk member to tilt freely within said socket portion, sothat said base portion of said socket member remains in stationaryengagement with said underlying support surface as said shaft ember ofsaid can is tilted from side to side. The present invention, a new andimproved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane restson a stationary axis, with no rotating parts that make it necessary forstability.

[0017] In summary, we have discussed the safety wheels on a cane ofSpaeth's teachings; a base plate being added to a cane by Battison; arotating base conceived by Hannoosh; legs added to a cane; plus wheelbase by Meltzer; the telescoping adjustable leg of O'Bitts; and apivoting safety tip by Bracy. None of these prior arts claim in theirteachings that weights have been added to their designs forrehabilitation purposes of rebuilding atrophied muscles that may be usedby and elderly and/or disabled person to administer self-rehabilitationduring their normal daily walks.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0018] It is the object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane foruse by elderly and/or disabled persons which provides forself-rehabilitation for an elderly and/or disabled person who has beendiagnosed with a weaken side as a residual effect from a recent strokeor any other diagnoses that would render weakness to one side of thebody. The present invention offers the same outward design as presentlyoffered in other aluminum or wooden canes, but has the added features ofadded weight due to the initial steel structure of the therapeutic cane,plus another added feature that the weight can be adjustable to meet theneeds of the elderly and/or disabled persons receiving the benefits ofuse from such a medical device.

[0019] The object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane foruse by the elderly and/or disabled person is to provide an adjustablecane that can telescope upwardly or downwardly, raising the height ofthe cane in one-inch increments with an interior push pin assembly andto slidably attain the height of thirty-seven and a one-half inches froman original height of thirty-three and one-half inches. With the heightadjustments available, the cane will be utilized in physical therapy andoccupational therapy settings and will be able to be fitted to mostelderly and/or disabled persons who would require it use during andafter therapy.

[0020] The object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved variable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane thatcan be weight adjustable during the duration of the therapeutic needs ofthe elderly and/or disabled person to rebuild atrophied muscles on oneside of the body and assist in returning the elderly and/or disabledperson to functional mobility. The therapeutic cane, constructed fromtubular steel, weighs, without the added weights, about tow and one-halfpounds. Standard canes, presently available on the market, whether theyare made from aluminum, wood or acrylic weigh under a pound. One poundsweights can be added to the inside steel frame of the present inventionto add weight up to four and one-half pounds, by adding one poundweights to the inside of the tubular steel and holding them in place byuse of a steel extension spring that will hold them in place against thetelescoping push button interior pin.

[0021] The object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved variable weight and height adjustable therapeutic cane thatprovides for ease in utilization by providing an ergonomically designedhandle with which to hold the cane correctly and offer the greatestbenefit to the end user. The ergonomically designed handle also offersto the elderly and/or disabled person a soft cushioned closed cell foamhandle grip to offer a firm hand hold on the can when the cane is inuse.

[0022] The object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved variable weight and height adjustable therapeutic cane thatprovides for safety when in use by providing a rubberized safety tipthat is attached to the lower end of the cane. When the end user, anelderly and/or disabled person takes a step with the therapeutic cane,the cane becomes firmly planted on the floor surface so that slippagewill not occur during use of the cane.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS OF THE INVENTION

[0023]FIG. 1 is a perspective front elevation view of a new and improvedvariable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane constructed inaccordance with the features of the present invention.

[0024]FIG. 2 is a perspective front elevation view of a new and improvedvariable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane shown in foursections, showing the weights as separate parts to the cane.

[0025]FIG. 3 is a perspective front elevation view of a new and improvedvariable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane showing oneweighted solid tube in place inside the cane.

[0026]FIG. 4 is a perspective front elevation view of a new and improvedvariable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane showing twoweighted, solid tubes in place inside the cane.

[0027]FIG. 5 is a perspective front elevation view of a new and improvedvariable weighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane displaying thetelescoping leg means for height adjustment.

[0028]FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of a new and improved variableweighted and height adjustable therapeutic cane showing a person withmuscles flexed walking with the cane.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Referring now more particularly to the drawings, therein isillustrated a new and improved variable weighted and height adjustabletherapeutic cane constructed in accordance with the features of thepresent invention and referred generally by the reference number 10.

[0030] In FIG. 1, the hand grip 20 is attached to the upper end of thetherapeutic cane to offer a rubberized closed cell foam handle that isused by the end user to hold onto the therapeutic cane. The uppersection 15 of the therapeutic cane is ergonomically formed from tubularsteel to balance the cane during the ambulation process. The lowersection 18 is provided to offer length to the therapeutic cane and iscapped off at the lower portion by use of a rubberized safety tip 30.

[0031] The weights that may be optionally added to the therapeutic caneare the solid one pound tubular steel rods 40 are shown in FIG. 2. Thesolid steel rods 40 are placed inside the tubular steel therapeutic caneto add weight to the cane for added muscle building.

[0032] In FIG. 3, a solid steel rod 40 is placed into the leg 18 of thetherapeutic cane 10, the upper portion 15 is reattached to the lower legportion 18 of the therapeutic cane. The added weight of the steel rod18, is the first level of added weight.

[0033] In FIG. 4, a second solid steel rod 40 has been added to thetherapeutic cane, adding another weight to the cane.

[0034] One, one pound solid steel rod 40 is shown in place in the lowersection 18 of the therapeutic cane 10 in FIG. 3.

[0035] Two solid steel one pound rods 40 are shown in place in the lowersection 18 of the therapeutic cane 10 in FIG. 4.

[0036] In FIG. 5, the height adjustment 50 is an added feature of theheight adjustable therapeutic cane. A telescoping leg feature is notshown, as it is not novel art to this product. The height of thetherapeutic cane 10 in its lowest position is thirty-three and one halfinches from the floor to the top of the cane. The height of thetherapeutic cane 10 in its highest position 52 is thirty-seven andone-half inches from the floor to the top of the cane.

[0037] In FIG. 6, the end user FIG. 60 is shown walking with thetherapeutic cane 10. As shown, with each step the end user takes the enduser's arm muscles 62 and leg muscles 63 are forced to flex, causing thearm and leg muscles to rebuild.

What is claimed as being new and novel art desire to have this inventionprotected under the Letter of Patent of the United States is as follows:1. A height adjustable and weight adjustable therapeutic cane thatincludes an elongated steel shaft means that comprises of a rubberizedsafety tip on the end of the steel shaft portion, is height adjustableby use of a telescoping leg means, including an interior steel springpin with button attachment that releases the button through one punchedhole on the lower leg portion and also releases into the button into theupper leg portion punched hole to hold the upper and lower portiontogether and provides for height adjustment, is weight adjustable frombasic weight of the therapeutic cane of two and one-half pounds to fourand one half pounds by adding one pound weights to the interior legmeans, is ergonomically shaped at the upper level to allow balance ofthe therapeutic cane when in use, is provided with a closed cell foamhand grip on the upper end handle. 2: is a two sectioned retrofittedsteel tubular shaft connected in the mid-section. 3: is heightadjustable by means of a telescoping leg means, with an interiorallyplaced steel spring pin with attached buttons that protrude through theupper leg means and the lower leg means through punch holes atprescribed placements on one-inch increments on the upper end of thelower tubular steel leg means and also at the lower end of the uppertubular steel leg means. 4: provides for weight adjustment on theinitial two and one-half pound weight allowance of the therapeutic caneby adding one or two one pound weights to the interior tubular steel ofthe lower leg means, one pound at a time to allow the weight of thetherapeutic cane to increase from two and one-half pounds to a finalsuggested weight of four and one-half pounds. 5: the therapeutic cane isergonomically shaped on the lower portion of the upper tubular steelshaft, 6: the therapeutic cane has a closed cell foam fitted hand gripthat is placed at the upper level end of the tubular steel shaft.